Amy Rein, PhD

I’m Amy Rein, PhD, a licensed psychologist and the founder of Rein Center, an integrative psychology and psychiatry practice based in Iowa City, Iowa. With over 27 years of clinical experience, I specialize in trauma therapy, anxiety, depression, and nervous system regulation using a deeply integrative, body-based approach.

I work with adults, adolescents, couples, and families across Iowa, Colorado, Florida, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and British Columbia, and I provide telehealth services throughout the U.S. and Canada.

MY APPROACH

Many people come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, stuck in their thoughts, or disconnected from themselves. They may understand why they feel the way they do, yet still find their symptoms persist. My work is grounded in the understanding that lasting healing happens not only through insight, but through the nervous system and the body.

I use a trauma-informed, nervous system–based approach that works both top-down and bottom-up. We address thoughts, emotions, and meaning while also working directly with the body to restore regulation, safety, and capacity. Rather than pushing people to relive painful experiences, I focus on helping the system feel safe enough to process and release what it has been holding—at a pace that is respectful and sustainable.

From this perspective, symptoms such as anxiety, depression, panic, or emotional reactivity are not signs that something is “wrong” with you. They are often adaptive responses to stress, trauma, or early relational experiences. Therapy becomes a collaborative process of listening to these signals and allowing the mind and body to reorganize in ways that support healing.

SPECIALIZED MODALITIES

My work integrates evidence-based and experiential approaches, including:

• Somatic Experiencing (SE) – a body-based trauma therapy that supports nervous system regulation and the safe release of stored stress and trauma
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) – which I have offered since 2000 to support trauma resolution and emotional processing
• Internal Family Systems (IFS) – to foster insight, self-compassion, and understanding of protective patterns
• Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) – for treatment-resistant depression, trauma, and anxiety, with an emphasis on preparation, safety, and integration

These approaches are integrated thoughtfully and guided by pacing, attunement, and what your nervous system can tolerate.

WHAT CLIENTS OFTEN EXPERIENCE

As therapy progresses, many clients report:

• feeling more grounded and embodied
• reduced anxiety and emotional reactivity
• greater clarity and self-understanding
• improved relationships
• a deeper sense of authenticity and connection

While symptom relief is important, my deeper goal is to help people reconnect with their authentic or true self—an embodied sense of clarity, vitality, and inner knowing that often becomes obscured by trauma and chronic stress.

STYLE AND PROCESS

My style is active, collaborative, and attuned. I offer clear explanations, practical tools, and consistent feedback, while paying close attention to pacing and safety. Early in the work, we develop a personalized treatment plan to support meaningful and lasting change.